GALLERY: Espanola returns to win column in French River

Photos: Dal Photography

FRENCH RIVER – Getting goals from five different skaters helped send the Espanola Paper Kings on their way to a 5-2 win over the French River Rapids Saturday in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League play at Noelville Arena.

Making a quick impression with his new teammates, recently acquired French River forward Dominic Suhr struck shorthanded in his initial NOJHL game as he picked off a play at his own blueline, then lumbered down the left wing, where he eventually snapped a shot short side on Espanola starter Creedon Dyck.

Answering back less than a minute later though, Jonathan Lush lifted the puck off a Rapids’ player in the slot then spun and fired one over the glove of starter Ben Gustafson.

Getting that back, Alexandre Dubuc put the home side back on top at 15:40 when he redirected an attempt that Josh Russell calmly waited on before firing a low effort towards the crease.

The Paper Kings countered quickly by scoring twice to take a 3-2 lead into the initial intermission.

Kyle den Ouden evened the score as he took a nice pass across from Kobe Braham and simply steered it into the open net.

Jack Lynes then gave the guests the edge with 32 seconds left in the session as his opening league tally came about off a double deflection from a Spencer Horgan shot from inside the blueline.

Second period play saw things tighten up defensively as neither side would find the back of the net to send to the contest to the third with Espanola still holding their one-goal lead.

The Paper Kings added some help 8:35 into the last session as den Ouden notched another as he tapped in a Yan Bessette backhand off a three-on-one.

Espanola added one more in the late going as Bessette buried a long-range shorthanded effort into an empty net to wrap-up the road win.

Dyck collected the victory in his NOJHL debut while Gustafson suffered the setback.